Memory cards containing integrated circuitry, (e.g. flash memory), which are approximately the same size as credit or business cards, have recently been adopted for use as a memory medium for small computers (e.g. notebook or laptop computers, electronic notebooks). Such memory cards have a series of pin receiving sockets in a mating end which releasably mate with pin contacts anchored in circuit boards of the computer.
A prior memory card connector is described in Japanese Utility Model Bulletin No. 63-69375, published May 10, 1988, and comprises frame means providing a memory card receiving compartment having a front end formed with an elongate memory card receiving mouth, a rear end with mateable, electrical connecting means extending thereacross, and memory card guiding means extending rearwardly in a memory card insertion direction away from the mouth towards the electrical connecting means.
In using such connector, the memory card is manually inserted into the memory card receiving compartment and pushed rearwardly bringing the sockets into mating engagement with the contact pins. However, to release the memory card it is necessary to provide an ejection mechanism to overcome the pin retention force of the sockets so that, subsequently, the memory card can easily be removed by hand from the connector. Such ejection mechanism should apply an evenly distributed extraction force to the memory card to avoid skewing of the memory card during extraction and possible consequential distortion of the contacts.
In the prior document, the ejection mechanism comprises a pair of extraction parts aligned to engage the mating face on the left and right of the socket series, the extraction parts being connected to driven racks mounted in the frame for reciprocal movement in the insertion direction, a pair of pinions meshing with respective rack teeth and with driving rack teeth on respective opposite sides of an operating part extending rearwardly from a release button.
In order to extract the memory card from the connector, the release button is depressed manually, actuating the racks and pinions causing the extraction parts to push the memory card out of of mating engagement with the pin contacts.
However, in the arrangement taught by the prior document, the rack and pinion mechanism and button are located above the memory card, undesirably increasing the height (thickness) of the connector which should be minimal for many applications